How must breeders sex White Zebra Finches, given their lack of pigment?
Answer
By checking the beak color (red for male, orange for female)
The White mutation causes the complete absence of feather pigments, resulting in an entirely white bird, which makes standard color-based sexing methods impossible. Despite the lack of body pigment, other sexually dimorphic traits are retained, making sex determination possible through observation of these stable markers. Specifically, breeders rely on the beak color: the mature male retains his characteristic bright red beak, whereas the female maintains her standard paler orange beak. This contrast provides a reliable, albeit indirect, means to sex these birds.
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